Interestingly, this time Matt didn’t sense the slightest resentment toward Emelia’s presence from the governor’s other advisors, and she smiled warmly at him when he caught her eye. That was new as well. Matt knew that, despite Imperial custom, Emelia had long been the governor’s most influential advisor, and she’d been as worried about the Alliance as she was about the deterioration of the Empire. He was glad to see that her concerns in that regard seemed to have been put to rest. He looked to Emelia’s right, where Sandra had taken a seat, and was surprised to see the older woman pat her hand occasionally as if to reassure her. He’d never known Sandra to need reassurance, particularly from strangers, but he’d never seen her around such an almost motherly, astute observer as Emelia before… He shook his head.
“Captain Reddy,” Governor Radcliff began, “first let me extend my most sincere condolences for the sad losses your people and your remarkable ship suffered during the recent, glorious campaigns, not to mention the terrible losses sustained on the Grik front… I saw the casualty lists, of course, when they were passed along to you, and I understand some of them constituted direct, personal losses to you and your ship. Friends and former shipmates.” He sighed. “We have never seen such a war and can hardly imagine what it must be like… I am not glad our Empire is beginning to find out, but I recognize and even embrace the necessity.” He met Matt’s gaze. “You will return home with a strong alliance with my country, for what you are doing for us, and we will help you in every way we can as well.” He straightened in his seat. “We have raised a full regiment here on Respite, for service in the west.”
“That’s very generous, Your Excellency,” Matt said softly. It was. Respite was the oldest Imperial territory, established even before the Empire existed, but the population there and on all the islands under its jurisdiction probably amounted to less than two hundred thousand.
“It only makes sense,” Radcliff said. “Wherever our people fight, it will be far from home, and with the Doms pushed back to their continental holdings, the Grik are actually closer.” He took a sip of beer, then forced a smile back on his face. “But enough of that! Congratulations are in order for many things! You have doubtless observed that the Grand Alliance is extremely popular here?”
Matt nodded. They’d ascended the mountain aboard a kind of carriage reminiscent of a San Francisco streetcar drawn by burros, and the road had been lined with enthusiastic well-wishers, quite a few of whom were women. “Indeed, Your Excellency. I’m glad to see it.”
“Take my word, Captain, the greeting is quite sincere. You accomplished everything we could have wished and more. You personally may not have saved the Princess Rebecca-and your lovely bride-to-be-but your people did. And then you avenged their abduction and mistreatment!” He leaned forward with a genuine grin. “The official version of that is colorful enough, I assure you, but I beg a firsthand account!”
“Perhaps this is not the setting or the time to press him on such a personal matter, Mr. Radcliff,” the governor’s wife gently admonished him in a mellow tone. Radcliff spared her an exasperated but indulgent glare.
“Later, then, if you please, Captain. Over dinner? Still, not only did you destroy the beastly Company’s domination of our lives and hasten the end of the inhumane institution of indenture, but you also did no less than save the Empire itself from conquest or at least dissolution. You have my most profound thanks.”
“We didn’t do it alone,” Matt said quietly.
“No, but you struck the spark and fanned the flames of liberty to life! I wish to God I had been with you! As you know, I had begun to despair, but to be there and see my emperor restored and country saved…”
“Please do save your speech for the ball, Mr. Radcliff,” Emelia chastised. “I fear you are embarrassing the good captain!”
“Embarrassing!” Radcliff huffed. “Heroes are always embarrassed. They are supposed to be.”
“Ball?” Sandra suddenly interjected with an expression close to fear on her face.
“Oh yes!” Emelia gushed, grasping both Sandra’s hands in hers. “As soon as I learned of yours and Captain Reddy’s desire to wed here-on our island! — I began planning the most glorious celebration! The romance of your… situation has resonated quite deeply with our people, and you stand as a figurehead for what all women in the Empire can achieve! The event will celebrate your wedding to the captain, of course, but it will also honor the Allied victories in the east, the resurrection of the Empire, and even what contributions our small land has made to facilitate those accomplishments. And, incidentally, as I said, I mean to stress your own achievements to inspire our people! It will be an event to rival an Imperial coronation, with repercussions that will be felt for decades, at least!”
“Oh, my God,” Sandra whispered, and Matt barely suppressed a laugh.
“I guess it isn’t your ‘ operation’ after all, Lieutenant Tucker,” he said with a straight face but a twinkle in his eye.
The discussion resumed, returning to more serious matters, and shortly, Matt dismissed the honor guard to return to the ship and whatever duties they had there. He knew Spanky meant to commence repairs as soon as possible now that the ship was at rest, and Marines were part of the deck division when aboard as far as Chack-and certainly the Bosun-were concerned. The Bosun himself, as well as Silva and Stites, remained. They may have been a little bored, but habit kept them alert and listening to the conversation. Matt didn’t mind. Chairman Adar would likely pump Silva for his impressions of the governor once he returned to Baalkpan, and that was okay with him. Adar needed as many impressions of their new allies as he could get, and he’d be able to read between the lines of Silva’s likely flippant description.
“And I am glad to see that we will have an official envoy to the western allies at last, Ambassador Forester,” Radcliff continued dryly. “It is long overdue.”
“Indeed,” Forester agreed with a chuckle. Two envoys, one from Respite and another selected by the Imperial Court of Proprietors, had already gone to Maa-ni-la. Each had adamantly opposed the presence and credentials of the other, and Saan-Kakja sent them both away in disgust. That was before the Imperial situation had stabilized, but all it accomplished was to annoy the High Chief of all the Fil-pin Lands even further, and make her more reluctant than ever to send troops and ships to defend the Empire. “I understand I may have my work cut out for me, in regard to the… charming young Saan-Kakja, at least.”
“With all due respect, sir,” Matt warned, “whatever you do, don’t let her age fool you into thinking you can push her around.”
Forester held his hands up and laughed. “Oh no! As a friend of the Governor-Emperor, I have known Princess Rebecca all her life. I’m told she and Saan-Kakja are fast friends and very much alike. I have seen firsthand that fewer years do not necessarily equate to lesser wisdom-or determination. Quite the opposite, on occasion. And I wouldn’t dream of trying to push Her Highness around! I want nothing less than Saan-Kakja’s-and Adar’s-complete satisfaction with our membership in the Alliance.”
“Good. In that case, I’d also caution you against pressing for a larger commitment in the east, from either of them. At least for now. You may not see this yet, but I believe the Grik are the most pressing enemy, and the western allies have been more generous already than anybody there-including me-is really comfortable with.”